Trade Apprentice PrePress CAD Technician Level 3

Summary

An exciting opportunity to join a print industry leader, learning print skills and the competence to work on the equipment within the department. Aspects to the role, including design, printing, finishing, operating machinery, administration and problem solving in your team.

Wage

£24,960 a year

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Training course

Print technician (level 3)

Hours

Monday - Friday, Shift dependant.

40 hours a week

Start date

Monday 11 August 2025

Duration

3 years

Positions available

1

Work

Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.

What you'll do at work

Learn about the print industry, materials, sustainability, quality control, and full processes
Assist with checking customer files to create print ready files, producing calibrated hard copy proofs, soft proofs and lithographic plates
Maintenance of Pre-Press equipment and assisting with the CAD department
Working effectively with team members
Demonstrate a commitment to learning, a positive work ethic, and excellent attendance
Training in Health & Safety, operational procedures, and printing techniques

Where you'll work

Windles Group
Peoples House
Cotmore Wells Road
Thame
OX9 3EU

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

College or training organisation

BPIF TRAINING LIMITED

Your training course

Print technician (level 3)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents

Apply environmental and sustainability procedures in compliance with regulations and standards for example, segregating resources for reuse, recycling and disposal.
Apply health and safety and manual handling procedures in compliance with regulations and standards.
Plan and prioritise work
Record or enter information - paper based or electronic for example, work sheets, check lists, handover records, job sheets.
Apply continuous improvement techniques. Devise suggestions for improvement.
Follow equality, diversity and inclusion procedures.
Communicate with others verbally including colleagues or stakeholders.
Communicate in writing.
Apply problem-solving techniques to common problems.
Use information and digital technology. Comply with GDPR and cyber security regulations and policies.
Identify, organise and use resources effectively to complete tasks, with consideration for cost, quality, safety, security and environmental impact.
Apply team working principles.
Convert customer files to print-ready files using software and workflow packages.
Check, process and transmit digital files using software.
Create and edit digital images.
Conversion of digital files into colour separations for the defined production method.
Apply digital techniques to produce a proof.
Apply colour profiles to the design.
Apply production techniques to produce plates, screens, or output files.
Apply pre-press quality assurance procedures.
Set up and check the multi-unit print press, including speeds, inks and toners and pre-printing quality checks.
Follow print press start up or warm up procedures.
Apply print press operations and techniques, including managing colour. Handle variable data on digital presses.
Follow quality control processes during printing, including checking for colour matching, print resolution, product consistency.
Apply press equipment and machinery maintenance techniques including cleaning and servicing.
Follow machine shut down, safe isolation, hand over procedures. Escalate issues.
Apply press quality assurance procedures.
Apply safe systems of work to the printing press process in compliance with regulations, standards, and guidelines. This should include identifying risks and hazards and the handling and disposal of chemicals.
Set up finishing equipment for example, guillotines, stitching-trimming machinery, binding machinery, laminating equipment, die-cutters.
Operate finishing equipment to apply different finishing processes, for example, varnishing, folding, embossing and debossing, foil blocking, scoring, packing, gluing, match and attach, tab and slot, sorting, banding.
Prepare printing for next stage, including packing and wrapping.
Apply post-press equipment maintenance techniques including cleaning and servicing.
Apply post-press quality assurance procedures such as checking for folding accuracy, stitch alignment, foil position.
Apply safe systems of work to the finishing process in compliance with regulations, standards and guidelines, including the handling and disposal of chemicals.
Apply environmental and sustainability procedures in compliance with regulations and standards for example, segregating resources for reuse, recycling and disposal.
Apply health and safety and manual handling procedures in compliance with regulations and standards.
Plan and prioritise work
Record or enter information - paper based or electronic for example, work sheets, check lists, handover records, job sheets.
Apply continuous improvement techniques. Devise suggestions for improvement.
Follow equality, diversity and inclusion procedures.
Communicate with others verbally including colleagues or stakeholders.
Communicate in writing.
Apply problem-solving techniques to common problems.
Use information and digital technology. Comply with GDPR and cyber security regulations and policies.
Identify, organise and use resources effectively to complete tasks, with consideration for cost, quality, safety, security and environmental impact.
Apply team working principles.

Your training plan

Upon successful completion of the apprenticeship, the qualification obtained will be a Level 3 Print Technician Apprenticeship Standard (pre-press pathway)
The apprentice will be given sufficient time to undertake their "off-the-job" requirement of the apprenticeship
Throughout your time as an apprentice, you will be supported by both your employer and BPIF Training
You will be assigned a training coordinator to ensure that you have the best training available
Training requirements will be discussed at the point of employment to suit your individual needs and business's needs
Most training and studying will be site-based

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE or equivalent in:

English (grade 1)
Maths (grade 4)

Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

Skills

Analytical skills
Attention to detail
Communication skills
Creative
Initiative
IT skills
Logical
Non judgemental
Number skills
Organisation skills
Patience
Problem solving skills
Team working

About this company

Windles Group are specialist UV litho printers of greetings cards, packaging, deluxe magazine/book covers and exquisite stationery items. A highly versatile and creative team of people, continually looking to inspire our clients with new and exciting print finishes. These finishes come from modifying and engineering our equipment to produce products that are unique in their appearance. Working from our custom-built eco-print house in Thame, Oxfordshire we have gone on to develop some of the very advanced print techniques.

After this apprenticeship

After the successful completion of this apprenticeship, a possible full-time position will be available for the right candidate
The apprenticeship allows you to earn a wage, gain valuable commercial work experience resulting in essential engineering and professional skills to progress into the print industry or elsewhere

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